Refuse-burner.



F; F. HOPKINS.

REFUSE BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE23| I917.

Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

avwentoz Frank E lzbpkzkzs attozuug F. F. HOPKINS.

REFUSE BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1917.

1,276,920, Patented Aug. 27, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

gmoeutoz' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK F. HOPKINS, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

REFUSEBURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 2'7, 1918.

' Application filed June 23,1917. Serial No. 176,478.

The object of my invention is to build a burner of a design which is cheap to build, b

which will stand exposure to the elements and to the heat of the fire and one in which v the supply of air thereto may be regulated both in accordance with the needs of combustion and for the purpose of supplying cooling protection to the skin. or Walls of the burner.

It is also my purpose to control the supply of air m such manner that there will be no amount of danger of sparks or brands being blown out of the burner by .high winds, while at the same time supplying the fire with a hberal air.

I The construction of my invention will be herein described and the features thereof which I deem to be novel and upon which I desire patent protection will be particularly 7 defined by the claims.-

In the accompanying drawings I have shown my invention in the forms of construction which I now most prefer to use. I do not, however, consider my invention as limited to the constructions shown, as other shapes and arrangements may be used which will have my invention embodied therein.

Figure 1 is, an elevation of a preferred form of construction, a part ofthefront side being shown as broken away to better illustrate the invention.

Fig. 2.is a detail showing on a larger scale one manner of mounting and adjustlng the draft regulating doors.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the means employed in Fig. 2 for holding up the chain.

Fig. 4 is a like view showing a slightly different manner of mounting and adjusting the draft regulating doors.

In the disposal of waste from saw mills and other wood working establishments, an

open bon fire has been found to be effective, I

and such is the means employed at'many small mills. Such practice is, however, dangerous 1n the great liability ofscattering fire y winds and spread of fire through wood Waste WlllChbBCOIIlBS scattered outside the usual limits of the fire. It is the usual pract1ce to provide some form of incinerator or burner.

The burner which is the subject of this invention is, in principle, only a cover placed over an open bon fire and provided with means for regulating thesupply of air to the fire. I do not consider it necessary to provide any flues or grates beneath the fire ed. I slmply erect whatevershape of inclosing structure best suits the situation and the requirements, the cost thereof being considered, as an important factor.

A type of inclosing structure which will excellently fit most conditions, including that of first cost and after maintenance, is a conical structure employing post or rib members 1- and a skin composed of metal sheets 2. This is provided with an elevated opening at one side through which a chute 3 at the end of a conveyer 4, projects, so

that the refuse is discharged approximately at the center of the burner.

Extending about the bottom of the burner is a zone which is lacking a permanently secured skin, but which is :provided with doors or dampers which may be adjusted 'to control this space and the entrance of air therethrough.

This control may be secured in a variety of ways. I now prefer to do this by providing, for each of the spaces between adjacent posts 1, a door, 5, hinged to be opened or closed. This hinging is either by a pivot 50 at the upper edge of the door, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or by a pivot 51 at its lower edge, as shown in Fig. 4.

When hinged at their upper edges, the

opening of these doors may be conveniently and effectively controlled by, chains 6, which may be held to sustain the door at any elevation, b engaging any securing means carried by t e frame, as by a slotted late 60.

When hinged ,at their bottom] edges the doors may be. controlled and held in adjustedposition by bars 61 which are hinged to the upper edges of the doors and have their upper ends bent-laterally to enter any one of a series of holes 62 in-the several posts 2. v

By the useandproper adjustment of the means described the amount of air supplied to the fire and t e side from which it comes may be fully controlled. The effect of the .wind may be neutralized or used as desired.

a When it is desired to check combustion and hold the fire, this may be done by closing all the draft doors.

I have found that a burner constructed along these lines is eflicient and capable of 10 destroying a large amount of refuse and yet the walls do not become objectionably heated. It may be constructed of light weight material and thus cost but little. The skin may be of thin metal, as No. 16 gage. Being thin it quickly radiates the heat received from the fire and does not quickly burn out. It is to be noted that by virtue of the provision of a completely open zone entirely around the base of the structure it is possible to admit a current of air which will contact with every part of the surface of the burner and this largely aids in preventing the thin shell from becoming so highly heated as to be quickly burnt out and destroyed. The 2% burner is cheap in cost and if burnt out may be quickly and cheaply replaced.

The air being admitted at the bottom and sweeping along approximately horizontally, aids in promoting complete and rapid comso bustion.

The upper openin of the burner would preferably be provi ed with a screen or spark arrester, as 7.

What I claim as my invention-is:

1. A refuse burner comprising a hollow W conoidal structure having upright posts and a skin supported by these posts, the lower edge of said skin being raised to form a bottom draft zone, and doors each hinged along a horizontal edge, and controlling the sec- 40 tion of the draft zone between adjacent posts, and means for adjustably controlling the opening of said doors, said doors being conjointly of such size as to completely open or close the draft zone.

2. A refuse burner'comprising a plurality of posts, and a skin supported thereby comprising a plurality of overlapped plates the lowermost of which has its lower edge spaced from the ground to form a continu- M ous open draft zone and doors having pivots at their horizontal edges which pivots are engaged with the posts, said doors being con o1ntly of such size as to completely open .or close said draft zone and means for hold-r M in said doors in adjusted position. igned at Seattle, Washington, this 1215a.- day of June, 1917.

FRANK F. HOPKINS. 

